Fuel-charge mixing and priming device



W. H. RUTHER FUEL CHARGE MIXING AND PRIMING DEVICE Flled March 14 1923 Apn'fl 15, 1924,

Patented Apr. E5, 1924.

VJALTER H. RUTHELR, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FUEL-CHARGE MIXING AND PR-IMING DEVICE.

Application filed March 14, 1923. Serial No. 625,066.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that T, VVALTER H; RUTHER, citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Charge Mixing and Priming Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved fuel ii charge mixing and priming device for internal combustion engines and seeks, as one of its principal objects, to provide a device which will function to effect easy and quick starting of an engine in cold weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which'normally will serve as a mixing device for the fuel gases to effect a better commingling of the fuel vapors and air and consequently permit a reduction in the consumption of liquid fuel.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a device which may be readily applied to enginesgof; conventional design without the necessity for structural change therein.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. y

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved device applied,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken medially through the device, and

Figure 4; is a rear elevation of the mixing baflie employed. 7

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 have, for convenience, shown my device in connection with a conventional intake manifold 10 and carbureter 11 having the usual confronting flanges 12. The fuel supply pipe of the carbureter is indicatedat 13 While the primary air chokevalve lever of the carbureter is indicated at 14:, the valve being operated by a rod 15 connected to said lever.

In carrying the invention into effect, I

employ a metal block 16 having flat side faces and shaped-to fit between the flanges 12 of the manifold 10 and c'arbureter l1 mating with said flanges, the block being provided with openings 17 to accommodate bolts 18 extending through the flanges conneoting the carbureter and block with the manifold. Suitable gaskets 18 are preferably arranged at opposite sides of the block and formed through the block is a central opening 19 registering with the fuel charge passages of the carburetor and manifold. As particularly shown in Figure 3, the block is counterbored at the rear end of said opening to provide an annular seat 20 and removahly fitting in said seat flush with the rear face of said block is a circular mixing baiiie 21. This bafie is preferably formed from a sheet metal plate and struck forwardly from the plate is a plurality of helically tilted blades 22 integrally connected at their inner ends, as shown in detail in Figure l, by a central portion 23 and also integrally connected at their outer ends by an encircling rim 2 f fitting the seat 20. Threaded into engagement with the block 16 at its upper side is a nipple 25 and secured to said nipple at its inner end is a liquid fuel jet nozzle 26 projecting downwardlyinto the opening 19 of the block diametrically of said opening in front of the mixing baffle 21 and provided near its lower end with a forwardly facing jet opening 27. Connected to the outer end of the nipple is a fuel pipe 28 to the rear end of which is secured an appropriate valve 29. in the present instance, I have shown a valve of the puppet type and embodying a stem 30 with which is associated a spring normally holuing the valve closed. Leading from the valve is a pipe 31 connected to the fuel supply-pipe 13 of the carbureter and mounted upon the rod 15 of the choke valve lever 14 of the carbureter is an upstanding arm 32 disposed to cooperate with the stem 30 of the valve.

Extending through the block 16 at its lower side is a conductor post 33 disposed diametrically of the opening 19 in a plane slightly in front of the plane of the jet nozzle 26. Insulating the post with respect to the block is a bushing 34 mounting the post and surrounding the post at the outer end of said bushing is a washer 35. Threaded upon the post to engage said washer is a lock nut 36 and arranged to cooperate with said nut is a thumb nut 37 for connecting a circuit wire with the post. Secured at one end to the upper end of the post is a coiled heating element 38 of suitable resistance wire fixed at its opposite end, as particularly shown in Figure 2, to the block. As will be observed, the coil is flat and lies at right angles to the axis of theopening 19 of the block in front of the conductor post so that said coil will provide a mixing baffle auxiliary to the baflie 2 1, the coil beingofa major diameter only slightly less than the diameter of said opening. Current may be supplied to the heating element from the battery of the vehicle or other suitable source of electrical energy thereon and a manually operable switch may be provided for closing the circuit through said element, or, if ,preferred, the lead to the heating element may be connected to the lead of the starter switch of the vehicle so that the circuit through the heating element will be automatically closed when the starter switch is closed for starting the engine.

As will now be seen, fuel gases issuing from the carbureter will first flow through the baflie 21 so that a whirling motion will be imparted to the gases by said baflie. The gases will then strike the heating element, which will function as a baffle to further mix and agitate the gases so that any liquid particles in the gases will be thoroughly broken up and vaporized. Accordingly, less liquid fuel will be required to run the engine, due to the more perfect vaporization of the fuel used. To start the engine, the circuit through the heating element is closed when, by pulling upon the rod 15, the choke valve of the carbureter 11 will be closed while the valve 29 will be opened. Thus, a rich mixture will be delivered by the carbureter while liquid fuel will be supplied through the jet nozzle 26 to issue from the jet opening 27 of said nozzle against the heating element. The mixture delivered by the carbureter will, therefore, be further enriched by the liquid fuel delivered through the nozzle, which liquid fuel will, upon striking the heating element, be immediately vaporized thereby to become mixed with the fuel gases. At the same time, the heating element will serve to heat the fuel mixture flowing from the carbureter to the mixing bafiie 21 while this battle, as well as the heating element, will serve to agitate and commingle the-air and fuel vapors of the mixture so that a heated, rich, homogeneous fuel charge will be delivered to the engine. As will be appreciated, such charge will readily ignite within the engine cylinders so that quick starting of the engine may be effected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: p

1. In a fuel charge mixing and priming device, the combination of a block for interposition between a carbureter and manifold and provided with an opening to communicate therewith, spaced stationary bafiies obstructing said opening one having helically tilted blades and the other comprising a flat coil forming a heating element, and a jet nozzle extending into the opening between the battles to discharge against said element.

2. In a fuel charge mixing and priming device, the combination of a block for interposition between a carbureter and manifold and provided with an opening to communicate therewith, a stationary baffie at the entrance end of said opening comprising radial helically tilted blades, a batlle near the opposite end of said opening comprising a flat coil forming a heating element, a jet nozzle extending into said opening between said baflles and provided with a jet opening facing said element,.and a conductor post extending into the opening supporting said coil at one end thereof, the opposite end of the coil being, secured tothe block.

3. A fuel charge mixing and priming device including a block for interposition between a carbureter andengine and provided with an opening to conduct'the carbu'reted product issuing from the carbureter, spaced battles obstructing saidopening, one of said battles providing a heating element, and a jet nozzle extending into the opening between the bafiies to discharge toward said element.

4. A fuel charge mixing and priming device iucluding a block for interposition between a carbureter andengine and provided with an opening to conduct the carbureted product issuing fromwthe carbureter, spaced bafiies obstructing said opening, .one of said baffles providing a' heating element, and a jet nozzle .extendinginto the opening between the bailies-todischarge toward said element, the other of said battles being formed to impart a whirlingimotion :to the carbureted product in its passage to the nozzle.

5. A fuel charge mixing and priming device including arblock forinterposition between a carbureter and engine and provided with an opening to conduct the carbureted product issuing from the carbureter, spaced baffles obstructing said opening, one of said baffles providing a heating element, and a jet nozzle arranged between the ,bafilesto dischargetoward saidelement, one of said baffles being stationary and having helically tilted blades for imparting a whirling motion to the carbureted product in its passage toward the nozzle. 7

,6. A fuelcharge mixing and priming device including a block for interposition between a carbureterand engine and provided with an opening to conduct the carbureted product issuing from the carbureter, spaced baffles obstructing said opening, one of said baflies comprising a flat coil forming a heating element, and a jet nozzle arranged between the bafiies to dischargei toward said element, the other of the baffles being formed to impart a whirling motion to the carbureted product in its passage toward the nozzle. I I

In testimony whereof. I. vattixrny signature.

'WALTER H. RUTH-ER. [-L. 5.] 

